


assumed serendipity

by squijim



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-07-24 18:30:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20019076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/squijim/pseuds/squijim
Summary: Barry can’t always relate, but he cares, and that’s the important thing.-Set somewhere during S1 of Young Justice





	assumed serendipity

He finds him on a rooftop.

His protege is uncharacteristically quiet, staring at something far off into the distance. The sun is setting miles away on the horizon. The light bathes them both in a thousand golds.

If Wally notices him, he doesn’t acknowledge it. Barry walks over to his nephew and sits patiently beside him. It’s a matter of patience.

Five minutes of silence go by until the boy finally speaks. “We were on a mission.”

Barry makes a noncommittal noise- not too dismissive, not too concerned. He does his best to keep from scaring Wally away.

Wally sighs and runs his hands through his hair. “We were on a mission,” he echoes, “and I screwed it all up.”

Barry listens.

“It was supposed to be an extraction job. I got lookout duty, and all I had to do was tell M’gann when the bad guys were coming so they could get out undetected.” The fifteen year old swallows. He’s ashamed. “But I got distracted. I started thinking about this song I heard, and how hungry I was, and the new Pokémon game, and-“ He trails off. “And the mission was compromised.”

Barry wants to interject, but he lets Wally finish.

“I knew Bats would be disappointed, but I’m used to it by now. I tried not to care.” Wally looks down at his hands, fidgeting. “But then I saw Kaldur, and M’gann, and Conner, and Artemis _…_ they were all so disappointed. Dick couldn’t even look at me.” Wally sighs again. “Sometimes I think… I think I should just quit.”

Barry turns to face him. “Wally, everybody makes mistakes. You compromised the mission. You wouldn’t be the first, and you won’t be the last.”

Wally leans back, lying on his back. He drags his hands over his face and makes a disgruntled sound. “B, I’m a _failure._ ”

“Kid-“

“I’m serious! What _exactly_ do I contribute to the team? All I manage to do is eat all of their food-“

“-Ki-“

“-and make M’gann uncomfortable with my stupid flirting and bully Artemis because for some reason it’s _her_ fault she’s not Roy and-“

“-Wall-“

“-and slow everyone down, proving time and time again that I’ll never be as fast as-“

“Wally.”

Barry doesn’t use his authoritative voice often, but he feels the need to. The teen is instantly quiet, and he stares up at him with wide, nervous eyes.

Barry casually leans back, mirroring him. “Can I tell you a secret?”

Wally nods, eager.

“When I first teamed up with Batman, we had a similar mission. Batman would go in and get the stuff, while I did surveillance and kept the guards from getting too close.” Barry paces himself, and occasionally glances at Wally to find the boy hanging on to every word.

He waves his hand dismissively. “Well, it was dragging on for hours, and I was getting super bored. I started humming Escape- y’know, the Piña Colada song?- and got so into it that I didn’t realize I had captured the attention of all the goons on the floor.”

Wally’s jaw drops, and when Barry smirks at him, he starts cracking up. “No way.”

“Yes way.” Barry smiles at himself. Nostalgic, perhaps. “Batman was _pissed._ I thought he hated me- convinced myself he did- until I got my invitation to a Justice League foundational meeting a few months after.”

Wally’s laughter subsides and the two are quiet again. “Look,” Barry says. “I’m not gonna pretend I know what you’re going through. It’s hard being a teen and it’s hard having superspeed, let alone dealing with both. It’s hard working with Batman, and working under him has gotta be a nightmare. Your version of superhero-ism is totally different than mine, and my experience won’t always help.”

Wally doesn’t know how to respond.

“What I _can_ tell you, however, is simple.”

Wally eyes him curiously. “And that is?”

“Lightning doesn’t strike the same place twice, Wally.”

Wally is about to interrupt with a scientifically-accurate correction, but Barry doesn’t give him room. “It doesn’t. Not lightning like this. But with you… with you, it did.”

Wally doesn’t follow.

“What happened to me was a total accident.” Barry admits. “But the universe _chose_ you, kid. It _chose_ you. And if the universe, impotent and mysterious as it is, chose _you_ to bless with a gift like this? Well, it means that you’re special. That you deserve it. That you’re worthy of your role, of your place on the team, mistakes and distractions and all.”

Wally is beaming.

“You really mean that?” He asks.

Barry scoffs. “Please. I _know_ it.”

Wally tackles his uncle into a hug, and the two of them are laughing. Barry could stay like this forever, but predictably, the universe doesn’t work that way.

Wally pulls back, youthful grin still plastered on his face. “Race you to Boston?”

“Oh, you’re SO on.”

As quickly as they arrive, the two disappear. There is teasing laughter in their wake, as well as fading streaks of scarlet and gold.

There are no clouds over Central City. There is no chance of rain. Yet somewhere in the distance, thunder rumbles overhead. A mere coincidence, perhaps. Or maybe it is a sign; a sign for the boy with the universe on his side, and for the uncle who loves him.

**Author's Note:**

> I have no excuses for this aside from the fact that I miss Wally. I’ve been a big fan of the Flash family (more so than the Bat family if I’m being honest) for years now. Barry and Wally’s bond will always have a special place in my heart lol.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the read!  
> \- Squijim


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